Items Similar to Hugh Townley Abstract Walnut Sculpture "Cloud Touching Decent, " 1986
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 7
Hugh Townley Abstract Walnut Sculpture "Cloud Touching Decent, " 1986
$4,950
£3,741.59
€4,299.75
CA$6,892.84
A$7,668.01
CHF 4,019.67
MX$93,701.17
NOK 51,185.42
SEK 48,184
DKK 32,095.99
Shipping
Retrieving quote...The 1stDibs Promise:
Authenticity Guarantee,
Money-Back Guarantee,
24-Hour Cancellation
About the Item
Hugh Townley (American, 1923 – 2008)
Cloud Touching Decent, 1986
Walnut
Titled, signed, and dated to the verso
The Hugh Townley Abstract Walnut Sculpture "Cloud Touching Descent, " 1986 is a stunning wall sculpture that will add a touch of sophistication and elegance to any space. The sculpture is crafted from high-quality walnut wood, which has been carefully carved and polished to create a unique and beautiful piece of art.
The beautiful curves and lines of the sculpture are mesmerizing, and the rich walnut color adds warmth and depth to any space.
The "Cloud Touching Descent" sculpture is a one-of-a-kind piece that is sure to become a conversation starter in any room. It is perfect for those who appreciate fine art and unique home décor. The sculpture can be easily mounted on the wall, making it a versatile piece that can be displayed in a variety of settings.
Overall, the Hugh Townley Abstract Walnut Sculpture is a must-have for anyone who wants to add a touch of sophistication and elegance to their home. Its unique design and beautiful craftsmanship make it a true work of art that will be cherished for years to come.
Measurements:
17 inches wide x 24 inches high x 3 inches deep.
About the artist:
Hugh Townley (1923-2008), the sculptor and printmaker, taught and made art from 1952 until his death on February 1, 2008. He worked primarily in wood, but also made monumental outdoor works in concrete. His sculptures -- reliefs and free-standing works -- are intricate constructions of interlocking shapes cut on a band-saw from many woods, both common and exotic. He used a recurring iconography of imaginative, often whimsical, forms, drawn from nature and his wide studies of Native American culture and Eastern spiritualism.
The patterns of the saw, combined with the grain of the wood and natural imperfections, are integral to the design. On many later reliefs he used vibrant color, creating exuberantly original but instantly recognizable sculpture. His latest work was in plywood. He found unseen possibilities in its construction, exploiting the intricacy of design, of which he said: "The layering of the plywood with its black glue lines and rhythmical repeat patterns, plus its physical versatilities, glue-ability and handsome flatness intrigue me."
In 1955, when he was 32, Townley's work was shown in MOMA's Penthouse Gallery, for New Talent. A critic wrote: "Wherever he has lived, Townley has exhibited. He is completely original, taking no slant from any other artist. The viewer is bound to respect his independence, admire his love of material, especially wood, and praise his excellent workmanship.
Hugh Townley was born in Lafayette, Indiana and grew up in Madison, Wisconsin. At 19, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Europe. On his return in 1945, he enrolled in the Fine Arts program at the University of Wisconsin. One teacher suggested that he study with Ossip Zadkine in Paris, which he did. That experience, and his subsequent year working for the Marshall Plan in The Hague, gave him a valuable breadth of experience in the post-World War II art world. The sculpture he produced during this period earned him his first one-man show. After further studies in Paris and London, he returned to the United States in 1952. Starting at the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee, he embarked on a distinguished teaching career, which included posts at Beloit College, Boston University, and Harvard before he began teaching sculpture and drawing at Brown University in 1961. After his retirement from Brown as Professor Emeritus in 1989, he and his late wife, the artist and writer Mary Ross Townley, moved to a house on the White River in Vermont. The work he produced there maintains its power to surprise and enchant. Townley's vision evolved continually, but his sculpture remained both deeply personal and instantly recognizable. His inventive and individual wit is never far from the surface, and all the works, from the large concrete pieces to the small, intricate Altoid boxes, the many lithographs and drawings, extend the same invitation to exploration and interpretation.
Townley had over fifty one-man exhibitions in major museums and galleries, and was represented in nearly one hundred group shows. In 1972 he received the Rhode Island Governor's Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts. Among other honors, he was a Fellow at the Yaddo Foundation (1964) and at the Tamarind Foundation for Lithography (1969). He was honored by the National Institute of Arts and Letters (1967) and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston (1980), and was given a one-man show at the St. Gaudens Historical Site in 2002. His work was also included in the National Academy exhibition in New York City in 2004. In the last three years of his life he had five one-man shows and was in two group shows.
His sculpture is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Fogg Museum of Harvard University, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Rhode Island School of Design, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, the Milwaukee Art Center, the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts, the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art in Fort Worth, Texas and the San Francisco Museum of Art, among other institutions, and is in many private collections.
He has done major installations for Brown University, the Faye School in Southborough, Massachusetts, the Oregon International Sculpture Symposium in Eugene, Oregon, the Oakwood Comprehensive Training Center in Somerset, Kentucky, and American Airlines Admirals Club in Luis Mu–oz Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Hugh Townley's work continues to be shown at the BigTown Gallery in Rochester, Vermont. In October 2008 Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, will host a large spectrum of his sculpture and works on paper in its Beard and Weil Galleries.
- Creator:Hugh Townley (Sculptor)
- Dimensions:Height: 24 in (60.96 cm)Width: 17 in (43.18 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
- Style:American Craftsman (In the Style Of)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:1980-1989
- Date of Manufacture:1986
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. minor dust residue; a few dark residue spots in the upper left portion of sculpture; a couple of small chips to one piece; minimal surface marks and wear throughout; a couple of splits to the wood panel on the verso.
- Seller Location:Los Angeles, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU881727653682
About the Seller
4.9
Platinum Seller
Premium sellers with a 4.7+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 2008
1stDibs seller since 2009
299 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: <1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Los Angeles, CA
- Return Policy
Authenticity Guarantee
In the unlikely event there’s an issue with an item’s authenticity, contact us within 1 year for a full refund. DetailsMoney-Back Guarantee
If your item is not as described, is damaged in transit, or does not arrive, contact us within 7 days for a full refund. Details24-Hour Cancellation
You have a 24-hour grace period in which to reconsider your purchase, with no questions asked.Vetted Professional Sellers
Our world-class sellers must adhere to strict standards for service and quality, maintaining the integrity of our listings.Price-Match Guarantee
If you find that a seller listed the same item for a lower price elsewhere, we’ll match it.Trusted Global Delivery
Our best-in-class carrier network provides specialized shipping options worldwide, including custom delivery.More From This Seller
View AllBronze Sculpture by Leonardo Nierman (Mexican b. 1932) Signed, Dated & Numbered
By Leonardo Nierman
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your home or office with the exquisite "Birds Descending" Bronze Sculpture by renowned artist Leonardo Nierman. This striking piece fea...
Category
Vintage 1960s Mexican Minimalist Abstract Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Carmelo Capelo "Cristo e i Ladroni" Bronze Sculpture, Signed
By Carmelo Cappello
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Beautiful bronze sculpture titled Cristo e i Ladroni by acclaimed Italian sculptor Carmelo Capello in 1955, We believe this is 1 of 3 made.
The sculpture depicts Jesus crucifixion...
Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
Brutalist Style Wall Sculpture in Copper
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Brutalist style wall sculpture in copper with a black blacp painted metal backing, excellent condition, little to no wear.
Measures: 36” high x 13 1/4” wide x 2.5” deep.
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Unknown Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Metal, Copper
"Sombra" Bronze Sculpture by Antonio Kieff Grediaga, Number 1/6
By Grediaga Kieff, Antonio Kieff
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Introducing the breathtaking Bronze Sculpture by Antonio Kieff Grediaga, Signed & Numbered 1/6.
The piece is titled "Sombra" or Shadow.
This extraord...
Category
Vintage 1980s Spanish Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Brutalist Style Bronze Sculpture in a Marble Base by Trapani
By Trepani
Located in Los Angeles, CA
This bronze sculpture is very reminiscent to Silas Seandel works but is labeled Trepani.
The sculpture is very imposing and is large in size, the marble base is sort of a cream colo...
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Sculptures
Materials
Marble, Bronze
Bronze Sculpture by Victor Gutierrez, Signed, Dated 94 & Number 9/10
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Victor Gutierrez (Mexican, born 1950). A limited edition cold painted bronze statue. A figural work produced in a modern style depicting a seated fema...
Category
1990s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures
Materials
Bronze
You May Also Like
1970s Modernist Freeform Wood Sculpture in Walnut
Located in Southampton, NJ
Organic modern freeform wood sculpture signed C. Hubert. This piece is constructed of a single piece of wood (species unknown). The sculpture is unique from all sides and can be floa...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century American Mid-Century Modern Abstract Sculptures
Materials
Wood
Michael Coffey, Galaxy II, Monumental Walnut Wall Sculpture, United States, 2021
By Michael Coffey
Located in New York, NY
Sculpted from walnut, Galaxy II is an exceptional wall-mounted sculpture that exhibits the skill of artist and master woodworker Michael Coffey. It is ...
Category
Late 20th Century American Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Walnut
Large Venetian abstract sculpture in solid walnut by Giuseppe Carli - 1961
By Giuseppe Carli
Located in SOTTEVILLE-LÈS-ROUEN, FR
Massive Venetian abstract sculptures in solid walnut "Forcola (Oarlock)" by Giuseppe Carli, dated 1961.
Carli is recognized as one of the leading "Remeri" of Venice, an elite group ...
Category
Vintage 1960s Italian Abstract Sculptures
Materials
Nutwood
$1,437 Sale Price
58% Off
American Mid-Century Modern Solid Walnut Tiki Wall Plaque
Located in San Diego, CA
Interesting solid walnut wall plaque circa 1970s, not signed.
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Walnut
$220 Sale Price
20% Off
Modern Abstract Constructivist Walnut Wood Sculpture Signed Czeslaw Budny
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This contemporary abstract wooden sculpture is by Czeslaw Budny in constructivist style circa 2022. This unique sculpture is made of recycled walnut. Budny utilizes the simplicity of...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Canadian Mid-Century Modern Abstract Sculp...
Materials
Wood, Walnut, Reclaimed Wood
Mid-Century Modernist Hand Carved Walnut & Oak Dowel Pierced Amorphic Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
This unusual and sophisticated modernist sculpture was realized in France circa 1985. It features a demilune formed base suggestive of a sickle in oak pierced through with a cylindrical dowel in burnished...
Category
Vintage 1980s French Mid-Century Modern Abstract Sculptures
Materials
Oak, Walnut
More Ways To Browse
Large Outdoor Wall Art
Puerto Rico Sculpture
Native American War Club
Curtis Jere Birds In Flight Wall Sculpture
Emaus Suns
Friedle Sunburst
Italian Majolica Wall Plaque
Jere Village
Stephen Chun
Terra Cotta Plaque
Antique Hay Rake
Antique Thresher
Bronze Danish Wall Plaque
Curtis Jere Cafe
Curtis Jere Star
Curtis Jere Wave
Evelyn Ackerman Tile
Iron Stag Head